Woman charged with child abuse; baby's leg broken

Published: Friday, September 20, 2013 at 1:18 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, September 20, 2013 at 1:18 p.m.

A 20-year-old woman who, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, admitted breaking the leg of a 2-month-old girl was charged Thursday with child abuse.

Stephanie M. Spisak was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail.

Authorities said they received a report Sept. 12 that a baby girl was brought to Munroe Regional Medical Center for treatment and after it was determined the child had a broken leg, she was transferred to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville.

Detective Mark Peavy interviewed the child's father, who said he went to a friend's home and spent the night. He said Spisak later picked him up and told him they had to go to the hospital because the child had a broken leg, according to reports.

Authorities did not reveal the relationship between the man and Spisak, or the child and Spisak.

The detective interviewed Spisak, who said several friends were at her residence. She said a female friend held the child and that she heard a scream coming from the child's bassinet when the woman left. She said when she went to check on the child, though, everything was fine. During the interview, Spisak told Peavy that if anyone should get in trouble for harming the child, it should be her because she was the only one there when the child screamed. She could not say how the child's leg was broken, according to reports.

Spisak then agreed to a polygraph examination. During the session, she confessed to breaking the child's leg.

She was again interviewed by Peavy and told him she was very frustrated on the night the incident occurred because the girl would not stop crying and kept moving all over the bed as she was trying to put pajamas on her. Spisak said she picked up the baby by her right arm and right leg and twisted her right leg, according to the report.

Spisak was then arrested.

Court records show she recently finished a one-year probation for a charge of battery domestic violence.

<p>A 20-year-old woman who, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, admitted breaking the leg of a 2-month-old girl was charged Thursday with child abuse.</p><p>Stephanie M. Spisak was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail.</p><p>Authorities said they received a report Sept. 12 that a baby girl was brought to Munroe Regional Medical Center for treatment and after it was determined the child had a broken leg, she was transferred to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville.</p><p>Detective Mark Peavy interviewed the child's father, who said he went to a friend's home and spent the night. He said Spisak later picked him up and told him they had to go to the hospital because the child had a broken leg, according to reports.</p><p>Authorities did not reveal the relationship between the man and Spisak, or the child and Spisak.</p><p>The detective interviewed Spisak, who said several friends were at her residence. She said a female friend held the child and that she heard a scream coming from the child's bassinet when the woman left. She said when she went to check on the child, though, everything was fine. During the interview, Spisak told Peavy that if anyone should get in trouble for harming the child, it should be her because she was the only one there when the child screamed. She could not say how the child's leg was broken, according to reports.</p><p>Spisak then agreed to a polygraph examination. During the session, she confessed to breaking the child's leg.</p><p>She was again interviewed by Peavy and told him she was very frustrated on the night the incident occurred because the girl would not stop crying and kept moving all over the bed as she was trying to put pajamas on her. Spisak said she picked up the baby by her right arm and right leg and twisted her right leg, according to the report.</p><p>Spisak was then arrested.</p><p>Court records show she recently finished a one-year probation for a charge of battery domestic violence.</p><p><i>Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.</i></p>